Turn your old flip flops into cute summer flip flops with cork tiles and fabric scraps! It’s easy and fun! My upcycled fabric and cork flip flops are so comfy now I didn’t want to take them off again. 😀
DIY Fabric & Cork Flip Flops – Tutorial
You’ll need:
- flip flops
- cork tile
- cotton fabric scraps
- scissors
- pencil
- shoe repair glue
Cork Soles
Cut off the plastic straps of the flip flops (don’t throw them away yet). Cut one cork sole from the cork tile for each flip flop. And glue the cork soles onto the flip flop soles.
Related: How To Glue Soles Together
The Fabric Straps
Cut long strips of fabric. Use the plastic flip flop straps to measure how long the fabric strips have to be. Make them longer as the plastic strap to allow for the thickness of the sole and two knots (you can always cut off excess fabric later). You also need two shorter fabric strips for the loop between your toes.
Sew the sides of the fabrics strips together and turn them inside out.
DIY Fabric & Cork Flip Flops
Take the shorter strip of fabric, make a short loop, and push it through the sole. This is the most difficult part. 😉 I found it easier to push the fabric loop through while rotating the hand.
Tie a knot under the sole. Push the knot into the hole of the flip flop. That way the knot doesn’t come loose and it isn’t necessary to use glue.
Pull the longer fabric strip through the loop …
… and through the holes at the sides.
Adjust the length of the fabric strip. Make an overhand knot at each side under the sole, and push them into the holes. Wasn’t that fast and easy? 🙂
More DIY Shoe Tutorials
Please Pin It!
Aren’t those just the cutest flip flops ever. So much better than the plastic version
Thanks, Michelle! 🙂
Sew cute! Couldn’t resist 😉 Thanks for sharing @Vintage Charm!
Thank you!
What an interesting idea! 🙂 Lisa
Thanks for stopping by, Lisa! 🙂
That’s awesome. I’m going to try this with an old pair soon! Thanks for the idea. Scheduled to my Pinterest queue. Thanks for sharing at To Grandma’s House We Go.
I’d love to see your upcycled flip flops. 🙂
Love this idea, they look so much nicer than normal flipflops and I bet they are way more comfortable as well.
Thanks for the inspiration.
Thanks for stopping by, Leanna!
These are great. I’ve been seeing lots of cork shoes in stores lately, so your tutorial comes at the perfect timing.
If you can, come and share it at The Really Crafty Link Party too (http://keepingitrreal.blogspot.com.es/2017/06/welcome-to-the-really-crafty-link-party-73.html).
Thank you and have a wonderful week!
Thanks, Teresa. 🙂 And thanks for the invitation to your link party.
Thank you for joining! Your post has been added to The Really Crafty Link Party Pinterest board and will be one of this week’s features, which I will publish later today!
Thanks for featuring me! 🙂
These are super cute! If I could make my own sandals – with arch support- I’d be the happiest!! Visiting from Really Crafty Party.
Thanks, Victoria! 🙂 You could make your own arch support, or buy and add arch support insoles.
I’m confused as to how the knots on bottom of shoe is pushed back into the sole????
When you cut off the plastic straps of the flip flops, there’s a big hole in the sole – big enough for the knot.
I don’t get what happens to the knots, do they go between the cork and the flip flop sole? Have you used leather??? for the toe strap? How did it come out? Please explain where the knots go withouth causing Pain or uneven gait. This idea is so good, thank you for sharing
Thanks, Sam! I used fabric for the toe strap but you can use leather if you want. When you cut off the flip flop straps, you can see that there are holes on the underside of the flip flop sole: This is where the knots go – the knots fill the holes and don’t cause pain. I hope this helps!
What kind of glue is best for this project?
Use a glue that is specifically for gluing shoe soles because shoe glue remains flexible even after drying.